Deployment of snapshots with parameterized data description language strings

Abstract

Mass deployment of snapshots is fostered by allowing collections of snapshots, called refresh groups, to be defined by a template. The template allows for a parameterized snapshot definition query or other DDL text to be defined, so that user-specific or site-specific values can be substituted into parameters to create different objects. Furthermore, off-line instantiation of snapshots is provided, so that the data for an entire suite of front office applications can be stored on a floppy disk, magnetic disk, CD ROM, or other transportable computer-readable medium.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A method of deploying multiple snapshots for a plurality of owners, comprising the steps of: 
       storing parameterized Data Description Language (DDL) strings that respectively describe how to instantiate the snapshots, each of said parameterized DDL strings including at least one substitutable parameter;  
       obtaining a first value for the substitutable parameter, said first value indicating one of the owners;  
       substituting the first value for the substitutable parameter in each of the parameterized DDL strings to produce respectively a Data Description Language (DDL) text that, when executed, causes a first set of the snapshots to be instantiated for use for the one of the owners;  
       obtaining a second value for the substitutable parameter, said second value indicating another of the owners; and  
       substituting the second value for the substitutable parameter in each of the parameterized DDL strings to produce respectively a Data Description Language (DDL) text that, when executed, causes a second set of the snapshots to be instantiated for use for the other of the owners.  
     
     
       2. A computer-readable medium bearing instructions for deploying multiple snapshots for a plurality of owners, said instructions arranged, when executed by one or more processors, to cause the one or more processors to perform the method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
       3. A method of deploying a plurality of snapshots, comprising the steps of: 
       storing parameterized Data Description Language (DDL) strings that respectively describe how to instantiate the snapshots, each of said parameterized DDL strings including at least one substitutable parameter;  
       obtaining a value for the substitutable parameter; and  
       substituting the value for the substitutable parameter in each of the parameterized DDL strings to produce respectively a Data Description Language (DDL) text, which, when executed, causes the snapshots to be instantiated.  
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the step of obtaining a value for the substitutable parameter includes the step of obtaining the value for the substitutable parameter based on an identity of an owner of the snapshot. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the step of obtaining a value for the substitutable parameter includes the step of prompting a user for the value. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 3 , further comprising the step of: 
       storing a default value for the parameter;  
       wherein the step of obtaining a value for the substitutable parameter includes the step of fetching the default value.  
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 3 , further comprising the step of copying the DDL texts to a transportable computer-readable medium. 
     
     
       8. A computer-readable medium bearing instructions for deploying a plurality of snapshots, said instructions arranged, when executed by one or more processors, to cause the one or more processors to perform the steps of: 
       storing parameterized Data Description Language (DDL) strings that respectively describe how to instantiate the snapshots, each of said parameterized DDL strings including at least one substitutable parameter;  
       obtaining a value for the substitutable parameter; and  
       substituting the value for the substitutable parameter in each of the parameterized DDL strings to produce respectively a DDL text, which, when executed, causes the snapshots to be instantiated.  
     
     
       9. The computer-readable medium of  claim 8 , wherein the step of obtaining a value for the substitutable parameter includes the step of obtaining the value for the substitutable parameter based on an identity of an owner of the snapshot. 
     
     
       10. The computer-readable medium of  claim 8 , wherein the step of obtaining a value for the substitutable parameter includes the step of prompting a user for the value. 
     
     
       11. The computer-readable medium of  claim 8 , wherein said instructions are further arranged to cause the one or more processors to perform the step of: 
       storing a default value for the parameter;  
       wherein the step of obtaining a value for the substitutable parameter includes the step of fetching the default value.  
     
     
       12. The computer-readable medium of  claim 8 , wherein said instructions are further arranged to cause the one or more processors to perform the step of copying the DDL texts to a transportable computer-readable medium.